Haymaking Days

July 2013I love haying season. Not so much because I help with haying, because I really don't. Mostly due to all these little people I'm busy keeping track of. But how I do love watching all that goes into haying.I love visiting the fields with my crew in tow, and watching Steve work under brilliant blue skies. I love the crowns of daisy circles at their summer peak, blowing in the hot breeze. There's a feeling in the air, this time of year. It's a dry, warm, feeling. It's a "time to hay" kind of feeling. It's a small part of the pioneer spirit brought to life once again, only this time I get to be Laura Ingalls....and Steve gets to be Pa.........Just for a moment....

Here Pa has just dropped his tool at a crucial juncture. I lean in close with camera and say, "Smile (or swear), Steve!"I'm not sure if Caroline would have said that. But Pa never misses a beat. Picks up his tool and smiles--if a bit distractedly.

"What are you doing here, Steve?" I ask."Fixing the PTO valve," he replies.Several hundred dollars later and several hours of hands-on repair......yield a working mower, rake, tractor, and baler. WHEW HOO! Here's to hoping it all holds together for another season.

Meanwhile, babies sleep. Sleeping moments are great opportunities to dream of photo documentaries. Someday these little ones may help me. For now, I get so much more done when those little eyes drowsily drift to closing!And now a truly rare photo sight: Charity sleeping.On to the hay fields. Charity and Anders are sleeping in the car, so only Ellie accompanies me into the newly mowed and raked grass.

The flurry of pictures here shows a glimpse into some of the rest of our 2013 haying season. The tools, the machines, the flowers, the babies, the cousins, and the Aunt Becky and Uncle Tim who came to sweat with us--because they are the kind of people who are just so great, like all of my and Steve's families--great enough to take off a full day, put their lives aside, and help out Steve just because he asked.And presently.....the hay is stacked high in the barn. More is coming. From what I can observe through camera and life on the frontier, Pa is working his head off as usual--and Ma is starting to look forward to the long winter nights with the fiddle once again.But for now, it's Popcorn Days and Buttermilk nights (Gary Paulsen) It's the glorious beauty of working hard and working long and sighing happily at the end of the day.And on that note....goodnight all!